NEWS
The Michigan Daily - Monday, January 24, 2005 - 5A
* Renovations to Michigan Stadium could reduce seating capacity
BIG HOUSE
Continued from page 1A
bring in up to $85,000 per year per box -
would pay for themselves and the improve-
ments made to the rest of the stadium.
Michigan currently earns approximately
$4 million in
revenue for each
home game. The revenue ear
With the pro-premium seating
posed changes, pr
the revenues and for a large c
from each game
could rise to prominent chan
$6.5 million,
Martin said.
However, the proposed modifications have
raised concerns over the stadium's seating
capacity, which is currently 107,501. Despite
the addition of 5,632 new seats, if the seats
and aisles were widened to the maximum
gI
Ig
potential, the stadium could lose up to
10,500 nonpremium seats. That would drop
the capacity to 102,633 and apparently end
the stadium's standing as the nation's largest
football-watching crowd. Penn State's Bea-
ver Stadium has a capacity of 107,282, and
Tennessee's Neyland Stadium has a capacity
of 104,079.
Texas A&M
ned from the is also con-
will payfor itself sidering
a yexpanding
hunk of the less Kyle Field's
capacity to
res as much as
115,000.
But Win-
ters said the University does not want to
compete with other schools.
"We're not looking at what others are
doing," Winters said. "We won't enter into
an arms race."
Athletic department officials have acknowl-
edged, however, that the loss of capacity may
not sit well with fans and have expressed the
intention to keep Michigan Stadium's capac-
ity at its current level. According to Winters,
athletic officials will make sure that Michi-
gan Stadium will continue to have the ability
to expand in capacity, though it will likely
have to be in the endzones.
"I'm always apprehensive whenever you dis-
cuss major changes to an icon like Michigan
Stadium," Martin said. "But everyone seems
to be excited about it - they want to see the
infrastructure improved. But the number one
thing I have heard loud and clear is don't reduce
the capacity. People don't want there to be less
seats - not just because we may fall behind
another school - but because then they may
lose their seats. And that's something we don't
want to happen at all."
Administrators have yet to completely
delve into the topic of student tickets. They
have expressed a desire to avoid a situation
similar to what happened in 1997, when not
all students were able to get season tickets.
Currently, seats and aisles in the student
section are narrower than in the rest of the
stadium.
To ensure that all students will be able to
get season tickets, it is possible that the stu-
dent sections will remain the same. Accord-
ing to Winters, the number of students who
purchase season tickets fluctuates from
14,000 to 22,000.
Much more
needs to hap-
pen before The existing pres
the proposed
renovations torn down and re
may proceed. seats would be a
The next step
Big House arithmetic
Existing
Planned
New total
i
Women's
toilets
Men's toilets/
urinals
Concession
stands
Handicap
seats
299
450
273
88
+347
+ 128
+ 133
646
578
406
172
The large scoreboards will get company in the Ann Arbor skyline if the proposals for reno-
vations to the stadium are approved.
S'
0
ings, for the stadium. A University selection
committee, which will consist of six to eight
people from with-
in and outside
s box would be the athletic
built, and 5, 326 will choose
d
+
84
is to secure an three-story structi
architectural
firm to do the
work.
If the firms who were contacted are inter-
ested in working on the renovations, theyc
then will submit written plans, but no draw-
ded to a new approximately
three of those
ure firms for fur-
ther consider-
ation. Those
firms would then come to the University
and make an in-person presentation to the
committee. After seeing these plans, which
should include logistical details, the com-
mittee will make the final decision on which
firm will proceed with the renovation.
It is not until the firm is picked that the
University will engage in discussions about
the financial particulars and construction
costs of the project.
At this point, the plans would be brought
to the regents for approval.
"We are still in the preliminary stages,"
Martin said. "It's the kickoff at the start of
the game. We have to hire an architect."
Winters said that many of changes have
been discussed as early as 1978, when Don
Canham was the University's athletic direc-
tor, and they have since been brought up sev-
eral times.
SOCCER
Continued from page 1A
encounter strong women, so I con-
tacted the sports department where
(Assistant Coach) Dan Dalzochio
was receptive from the start," said
Van Eck.
Van Eck's vision was realized on
Friday when eight members of the
women's varsity soccer team led
drills in fundamental soccer skills,
such as dribbling, shooting and pass-
ing, in the school gymnasium with
Van Eck's troop.
Within the allotted hour, the soc-
cer players encouraged the brownies
to engage in games that stressed ath-
leticism as well as teamwork.
There were a few minor setbacks
that were quickly resolved. Ireland's
fingernail split in two after she
bumped into another Brownie. How-
ever, after a carefully applied Band-
Aid and a pep talk from a varsity
player, Ireland was ready to join the
game again.
Another heated moment arose
when one Brownie accused another
of handling a ball and thereby dis-
obeying the rules of "Sharks and
Minnows."
Before an argument could ensue,
Education junior Therese Heaton
dissolved the tension by yelling,
"We're all winners!"
More than instilling fundamental
soccer skills, the players sought to
be positive role models for the girls.
"I want them to see everything they
can do. With MTV, they see the belly
buttons and the cleavage - these
are the role models they have," Van
Eck said.
On top of being a Brownie troop
leader, Van Eck, the mother of five
children, also attends the University,
where she is a senior in the School
of Nursing.
"From my nursing angle, it is
important to get the girls to love to
exercise. Michigan is one of the fat-
test states, and we need to change
this," she said.
The soccer players bestowed indi-
vidual attention on each member of
the troop.
"I was impressed how they remem-
bered everyone's name," she said.
Diane Sisk, mother of Alexandria
Sisk, came to watch the event and
was impressed by the talents and
character of the soccer players.
"It's really neat for these people
who set goals for themselves and
accomplished them. These girls are
proof that you can work hard for
your goals and achieve them," she
said.
Members of the women's soccer
team agreed that their interaction
could yield positive results for the
children.
"I think there are a lot of little
kids that want to play soccer but are
too scared. We want more of these
kids to take on the sport and come to
our games," LSA freshman Lindsey
MacDonald said.
For others, the event was a trip
down memory lane. "I was in Girl
Scouts until fifth grade. It's a great
place to be. I had fun today, because
it was nice to reminisce," Music
"They were really
nice and fun. They
were the best
teachers ever."
- Savannah Middleton
Northside Elementary
third grader
sophomore Katelin Spencer said.
During the traditional closing cer-
emony, Spencer realized she still
remembered the Girl Scout promise
and recited it with the other Brown-
ies.
The soccer players also received
rave reviews from their students.
"They were really nice and fun.
They were the best teachers ever,"
said third grader Savannah Middle-
ton.
The session with the soccer team
was the last step toward being
awarded a sport try-it, a three-
pointed badge given to Brownies
to sew on their vest after complet-
ing tasks concentrated in a specific
area.
Other activities that merit try-its
involve health, art, selling cookies,
math and international games.
Van Eck said that she only
received positive feedback from the
players and that another collabora-
tion between Girl Scouts and the
soccer team might take place in the
near future.
AMY DRUMM / Daily
Michigan soccer player and LSA freshman Lindsay Yakel teaches second grader Ireland Van Eck to dribble on
Friday at Northside Elementary School.
WINTERFEST
2005!
A STUDENT ORGANIZATION
EVENT!
TUESDAY JANUARY 25TH 4-8 PM
2ND FLOOR MICHIGAN UNION
*Meet new people and get all the information
you need to get involved!
*Live entertainment and raffle!
_::*T ro ~nl f- R11rr aTn raffe! 4.,
____ ~, -
I